Paul Faulkner

Dozens of people gathered outside County Hall ahead of Lancashire County Council’s annual budget meeting to protest at planned cuts to public health and children’s services.

The proposal to cancel the Lancashire and Health and Wellbeing Service (LHWS) was the focus of several placards. The service - whose future is currently the subject of public consultation - provides early intervention for those with low-level social and health issues

Protest at County Hall

“If you don’t help people that have special challenges - whether that be mental health problems, alcoholism, drug addiction or disability - they can’t become productive members of society. And productive members of society don’t only lead a fulfilled life, they contribute to the economy.

“It’s [going to affect] vulnerable people who don’t have a voice,” he added.

Len Hodson, who has been deaf for most of his life, said he had personally benefited from the LHWS. The organisation - which is operated on behalf of the county council by three charities - provides a dedicated assistant to help deaf people across Lancashire access services.

If [that support] stops, it will be much worse for the deaf - they will be on their own, isolated and lonely,” Mr. Hodson said.

Len Hodson

Meanwhile, plans to end a short break service for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities also attracted attention.

Zoe Duckworth runs the Preston branch of the Play Inclusion Project, which provides respite care as part of the council-funded Lancashire Breaktime Service. She said some of the children who attend her group need specialist support that is not offered elsewhere.

“Lancashire breaktime is our main funding, so if that goes, all our services go. We have children with epilepsy who can’t go to mainstream groups because they need their medications. Then there are some who might need personal care as well,” Zoe said.